It should come as no surprise that today’s kids are highly stressed and anxious. With homework, after school activities, and social pressure, kids have a lot to worry about! Luckily, there are a variety of solutions to help children relieve anxiety. While fidget spinners are the popular choice these days, there’s another stress-reliever that’s been around forever and is just as effective and even more fun! We’re referring to music, of course!

While the health benefits of listening to music have been known for a long time, new research shows that learning to create and play music offers its own set of health rewards. All this means that your child’s music lessons are doing more than just teaching them to play an instrument; they’re helping your child cope with stress and anxiety (without them even knowing it)! Here’s how and why learning to play an instrument can help kids relieve anxiety and lead a happier, healthier life.

Music Changes The Brain

It might sound a bit sci-fi, but music has actually been shown to physically alter the brain, resulting in positive changes to a person’s motor skills, cognitive abilities, and mental health. In fact, a well regarded study from the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found that playing music influenced the behavior-regulating and motor areas of the brain in children and adolescents. More specifically, the study revealed that music playing of all kinds, including music lessons, impacted the thickness of the brain cortex, the area of the brain that is tied to anxiety, depression, and behavior problems. In short, the study showed a direct correlation between music practice and cortical thickness, which indicates that learning an instrument can help kids better process their emotions and help stave off anxiety and stress.

Music Is Therapeutic

Anyone who’s ever played a instrument before knows just how much music can feed the soul and calm the body. For children who are dealing with anxiety, music is a terrific way to soothe nerves and quiet the mind. By putting all their focus into physically playing the instrument and hitting the notes, kids are distracted from their problems, and instead can solely concentrate on the music and the enjoyment and pride they’re feeling in tackling something new.

Music Nurtures Self-Expression

Playing music is the ultimate way to express yourself. Children who pick up an instrument at an early age are better able to channel their complex feelings and let it all out when playing. Music allows children to release their frustrations, worry, and anxiety and instead replaces those negative emotions with feelings of accomplishment, pride, and passion.

There’s no denying what a positive impact learning an instrument can have on a child’s health and wellbeing. With the ability to relieve a child’s anxiety, improve their self-esteem, and add joy to their life, music really is a cure all! So what are you waiting for? Sign your child up for our Scottsdale music lessons today!